


There's Something About You That I Need So Badly

by SakuratheFoodGuru1991



Category: Free!
Genre: A fanfic where neither Haru nor Rin intervene because Sousuke needs happiness not drama, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Haru is actually in the States for university, He also never had a broken shoulder, He literally doesn't know any of the canon characters, He's mentioned several times but doesn't appear, I'm Bad At Summaries, M/M, Multiple 3rd Person POV's, Oh look a SouMako story that doesn't have sex until waaaay later, Rating will change, Sousuke also works at a swim club, Sousuke never went to Samezuka, Swimming, Swimming Coach Sousuke, The Tachibanas are practically angels, i love this ship so much, like really bad, mild autism, same with Rin, swimming lessons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-05 14:45:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4183803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuratheFoodGuru1991/pseuds/SakuratheFoodGuru1991
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Initially, Sousuke, an 18-year-old boy who is trying to adapt to his life as a homosexual with minor autism, has absolutely no expectations from his job as the swim coach at a summer camp.  He only had plans to gain experience and earn money for tuition fees, but boy, do things change fast when a set of twins join his group.  He takes the standpoint of swimming as nothing more than a competition in which the best contender wins, but he soon learns that, with the help of said twins, it's not all about the thrill of winning.  </p><p>What Sousuke didn't know was that eventually he would be befuddled by their older brother's benevolence (and good looks).</p>
            </blockquote>





	There's Something About You That I Need So Badly

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tumblr friends who ship SouMako](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Tumblr+friends+who+ship+SouMako).



> I'm aware that in Japan, they start school in April and go until March, but I find that so odd and this camp probably wouldn't exist with the way school is? I'm not sure. So in this story, the go to school like how they do where I live, from August to May.
> 
> I also made the characters slightly taller/not as skinny. But only by like, 2-3 inches.

“I'm so proud that you were able to find a job, Sousuke,” said a man in his twenties towards a boy in his late teens.

 

“I'm just glad that I was able to find _some form_ of employment, Hideyoshi,” responded the boy known as Sousuke. Yamazaki Sousuke. A 6'3, 184-pound swimmer a few months shy of his nineteenth birthday and he got stuck being the swim instructor of the Tottori Prefecture Adolescent Summer Camp. Definitely not the first job that he had in mind, but it wasn't like he had a wide variety to choose from in the prefecture with the smallest population. The camp was located approximately nine miles southwest of a town called Iwatobi which was located near the boarder of Tottori and Hyogo prefecture.

 

“Well, it can't be that bad,” said Yamazaki Hideyoshi, Sousuke's 24-year-old cousin. “You get a stipend of ¥4500 a day, food, and shelter. Plus, I bet you are bound to meet some male counselors there.”

 

Sousuke just groaned in response to his older cousin. “Cute, it's possible, but I doubt they are gay,” said the tall teenager as he adjusted the glasses on his face and looked out the window of the cramped Toyota Camry. “I'm probably the only gay person in the whole town of Iwatobi. All I really wanted to do was work somewhere with electronics, but, of course, what do you expect to find in this craphole of a prefecture? Nothing but mom-and-pop stores and nothing exciting.”

 

“You have a soft spot for children,” said Hideyoshi. “Don't deny it, Sousuke; you'll be glad to have taken this job by next Monday. I mean, you'll be doing something you love: swimming! And you'll be spreading your favorite sport to other children and they may become as good as you are.”

 

“You really have high hopes, don't you?” said Sousuke.

 

“You didn't deny you're a softie around children,” teased Hideyoshi. “And to answer your question, yes.”

 

“Well, I've had a lot of practice. I mean, I've babysat many of my cousins. I have nothing against children; at least these are ages nine through twelve, so hopefully they aren't those whiny brat types.”

 

“You'll be a good trainer, Coach Sousuke!” said Hideyoshi with a chuckle as he smacked Sousuke's right shoulder.

 

“You honestly believe so?” asked Sousuke as his face then turned into a gentle smile. The negativity was beginning to disappear.

 

“Yeah, I believe so,” said Hideyoshi. “You're a good person, Sousuke; you're very kind and loyal to people after you warm up to them, you're incredibly smart—you were number 24 out of a class of 453 students.”

 

“Ahh, I was so close into getting in the top 5%,” pouted Sousuke. “If I had put a little more effort in my studies instead of swimming...”

 

“Think of it like this—you were smarter than about 94% of your class, or 429 kids were not as intelligent as you were,” reassured Hideyoshi. “You have eleven tournament trophies and your skills have lead you to earn the title of fifth place in national ranking for butterfly swimmers.”

 

“And only one of them is not an Olympic athlete,” said Sousuke. “I would've beaten him if I hadn't gotten that cold last year.”

 

“Well, I'm sure you'll help these kids become good athletes,” said Hideyoshi.

 

“I'll teach them the best that I can; I got seven days, after all,” said Sousuke as he closed his eyes. It was 6:58 in the morning and he usually got up around 7:30 to start training, so of course he was a little grouchy.

 

“Did you remember to bring your pills?” asked the older cousin.

 

“Yes, I brought them, but no, I didn't take them yet; I'll wait until I get something to eat,” replied Sousuke in a frustrated tone.

 

The remainder of the ride was quiet between the two males and they finally arrived at the camp at 7:34. Turns out that Sousuke was not the only one who was there; an email that he had gotten two days ago told him that he had to be at the place before 7:45 to meet with the director and get signed in and be assigned a cabin to stay in.

 

“Hello! Are you a counselor who works here?” asked a woman wearing a pair of khaki capris and a white blouse. She had a clipboard with her and it was full of pages.

 

Sousuke looked at the woman. Early 30's, brown hair, nice brown eyes. He then said, “Yes, I'm the swim coach here, Yamazaki Sousuke.”

 

“Oh, yes, Yamazaki-kun!” she said as she looked up to the boy. “I'm the director of the camp, Amakata Miho! Nice to meet you!” She extended her hand and Sousuke awkwardly shook it. Sousuke never was one to really make contact with other people, but he nonetheless accepted her polite gesture. “There were so many talented athletes who applied for the job, but your accomplishments stood out the most! We're very happy to have you as a part of our team and we hope you show the children a good time!”

 

“Yes, ma'am,” said Sousuke. “I'll try my best to make sure the kids aren't disappointed in my abilities.”

 

“Wonderful!” said Amakata-san. “We've already assigned the cabins for you to reside in and the people whom you will be sharing with.” She handed Sousuke a sheet of paper and he looked down at it.

 

“Shigino Kisumi, Nitori Aiichirou, and Mikoshiba Seijuro,” he said. He'd be in a cabin with three other males....This was making him nervous because good-looking boys were his weakness, but what made him feel weak even more was if a boy was sensitive, caring, kind...someone who would understand Sousuke. Looks meant nothing if the male was a total bastard; Sousuke would rather have an average-looking boy with the best heart and soul than hot boy who had the heart of the devil.

 

“Yes, you are in Cabin 3,” said Amakata-san. “Your roommates already are there since they got here a little bit earlier. Why don't you go put your stuff in the cabin and get to know them?”

 

“Okay,” said Sousuke as he was directed to the location of the cabins. After he got there he was awaited by three boys—and very good-looking ones indeed.

 

“Hi!” said a boy with cotton candy pink hair and beautiful purple eyes. “You're Yamazaki-kun, correct? I'm Shigino Kisumi—I'm coaching the kids basketball in the gymnasium! You'll be teaching my little 8-year old brother, Hayato!”

 

“That's...yeah, I'm the swim coach...” muttered Sousuke, avoiding eye contact with Kisumi and just idly looking at the ground with shyness.

 

“Hello, Yamazaki-senpai!” said the grey-haired boy as he bowed a bit. “I'm Nitori Aiichirou, but you can call me Nitori or just Ai! I help the children with arts and crafts! I remember you vaguely; a few months ago, you beat my friend, Matsuoka Rin in the nationals! Both of you were swimming butterfly!”

 

“I don't...really learn the name of my rivals,” admitted Sousuke as he looked away and the faced a male who was even taller than he.

 

“Ah, Yamazaki-kun,” said the red-haired boy, “I remember you from Tokitsu High School. I saw you at the finals when my little brother was competing against your school. Back in 2014, when I still was in high school and was swimming butterfly, your team crushed my school at nationals You probably do not know me, but I was the former captain of Samezuka Acedmy, which many considered the powerhouse of swimming in Japan. But it's nice to know that there are other teams better than us since it gives the athletes even more motivation to improve!”

 

Sousuke looked at the boy and said, “You're Mikoshiba Seijuro, huh?”

 

“Yeah, that was a bit impolite of me. Mikoshiba Seijuro, I also the role of first aid since I'm training to be a doctor!”

 

“What kind?” asked Sousuke quietly.

 

“Pediatrician, mostly,” said Seijuro. “I initially applied for the swim coach, but, well, looks like you beat me to the spot.” He nervously laughed at that. “We were waiting for you to decide for bunks to be fair. Do you like the top or bottom?”

 

Sousuke's mind immediately went into perverted mode when he heard those two words and responded with “Top.”

 

“Alright, I'll be on the bottom then,” said Kisumi as he put his duffle bag under the bed.

 

Sousuke's eyes widened when he said that and said, “Sorry! My mind was somewhere else and I wasn't thinking clearly. I'd rather have the bottom, please, since I'm taller.”

 

“No problem, we can rearrange that,” said Kisumi as he grabbed his bag and threw it onto the top bunk.

 

“I'll let you have the bottom, Mikoshiba-kun, since you're a lot larger than me,” said Nitori as he put his stuff on the top.

 

“Well, thank you, Nitori, that was awfully kind of you,” said the gentle giant as he rubbed Nitori's hair.

 

“I think I'll go outside now,” said Sousuke as he closed the door behind him. The three other boys looked at each other.

 

“Well, what do you think of him?” asked Kisumi with a smile.

 

“He seems awfully nervous around us,” said Nitori. “I wonder if he's shy?”

 

“Hmm, he does sound a bit different,” said Kisumi. “He is probably unfamiliar with the place. He sounds like he's from the north, maybe.”

 

“He acts a bit similarly to Nanase-kun, who has autism,” said Seijuro. “But it is none of our business to ask Sousuke, but I will say this. If he is autistic, I'm sure he's used to two things: insults or being treated like an invalid. Let's treat him like what he is: a human being. No special accommodations. We'll be his best cabinmates and make sure he has the best time here!”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter, it'll skip past the opening ceremony and the Tachibana twins appear. They are a huge part of this story. Last time I went to camp was five years ago and I would've liked it a lot more if it hadn't been 106 (41) before you factored in the humidity.


End file.
